Electric switch



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,663

H. J. L. FRANK ELECTRIC SWITCH original Filed Jan, 16, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 1 fm' ''fM 'zio ATTGRNEY Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,663

. H. J. L, FRANK ELECTRI C SWITCH original Filed Jan. 16,.924 5Sheetssheet 2 ATTORNEY H. J. L. FRANK .ELECTMC swr-TCH original FiledJan. 1e, 192?a s sheets-sheet 3- Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES- 1,703,663 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MUTUAL ELECTF'IC& MACHINE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,`A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

y ELECTRIC SWITCH.

'Original application filed January 16, 1924, Serial No. 686,585.Divide/d and this application led August 7, 1925. Serial No. 48,719.,

rlhis invention relates to the construction of enclosed switches and ofthe boxes in which they are mounted, and one of the objects of thisinvention is to provide a box of this character which may be fitted tothe majority of electric meters now in use. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a switch vmechanism and the `receptacle thereforwith means whereby a blown fuse mayl be replaced without opening thereceptacle. A further y object of this invention is to provide means toprevent such replacement of fuses While the switch is closed.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 isA a front elevation of thisimproved switch box mounted to receive the terminal chamber of anelectricmeter. Fig. 2 is a bot-tom plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a section onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2 on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is an elevation of onecorner of the box with the removable plate removed. Fig. 5 is a plan ofthe switch and boxwhen on a horizontal support. Fig. 6 is a section onthe line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 of Fig. 5 on alarger scale. Fig. 3l is a sect-ion on the line 8-8y of Fig. 7. Fig. 9is a diagram of the wiring oi' the switch shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is aside elevation of a switch box. lines 11-11 and 12-12 of 5. Fig. 13 is aperspective of an interlocking bar.

Similar reference characters `refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

The meter adapter. The sides 2 oiz the box in which the present switchis mounted are connected to the bottom 3 and to the end 4 to which thehinges 5 for the cover 6 are attached. The cover has an end iange 7 towhich the hinges 5 are attached, sides-9 and an end 10. The sides 2 ofthe box are shown in Fig. 6 to extend less vthan one-half the length ofthe bottom 3, but the sides 9 of the cover extend down to continue thesesides 2. I prefer to so construct this cover that its sides extend downoutside the upper edges and extend within the vertical edges lof thesides 2. These sides 9 also extend along just within the extensions 12of the sides 2 which extensions are provided with perforated ears 13,through which and through the similar ears 14 on the sides 9 any desiredpad-locks 15 or other seals may be placed.

Figs. 11 and 12 are sections on the The end 10 of the cover opposite thehinges is so formed that it may be adapted to fit the terminal chamber16 of electric meters 17. 4 shows this end to be cut away and formedwith grooves 18 parallel to the bottom 3 and with grooves 19 at rightangles thereto.v Slots 20 receive the screws 22 which are threaded intolaterally adjustable adapter plates 23 which are formed with small ribsto lit the grooves 19. As the heads of the screws 22 are on the inside,these plates can be secured to closely lit the meter and cannot bereleased until the cover is swung back.

Other screws 24 extend through the slots 25 into the plate 26 to which adoor 27 is hinged, this door being formed with ears 28 justed so thatits innerl edge iits the exten sion 16 of the meter..

Within the box is a base 3() of porcelain or other insulating materialand to this base are attached the pedestals l31, 32, 33 and 34, to whichthe knife-blades 35, 36, 37 and 38 are pivoted. 4 These blades areattached to a cross bar 39 wh'ch has a perforated ear 40 through whichextends the arm 41 on the shaft 42. An c `lerating handle 43 on theoutside of the box is used to swing this arm 41 and so open and closethe switch. The cross bar 39 is enclosed in the insulation 42 whichprevents electric contact with thev knifeblades.

The test meter connections.

the wires 61 and 62 connect-ing the contactsl 48 and 49 to the fuses 63and 64, and the conductors 65 and 66 connecting these fuses to thepedestals 31 and 34.

Under ordinary working conditions the knife-blades to 38 are at an angletothe base., vextending through the upper portions of the contactsy 44to 47 and the blades 36 and 37 do not engage the contacts 48 and 49. Thecircuit is over service wire 5l to contact 4 4, knife-blade 35, pedestal.31, conductor 65,

Afuse 63, wire 61, wire 58, meter winding 67,

wire 57,y contact 45, knife-blade 36, pedestal .32 and load w-ire 54. Onthe other side the circuit is over load wire 56, contact 33, knife- Iblade 37, pedestal 46, wire 60, meter winding 68, wire 59, contact 49,wire 62, fuse 64, conductor 66, contact 34, knife-blade 38, 'pedestal 47and service wire 52. When a three wire system is employed, `vthe neutralwires 53 and 55 may connect to the 4plate 69 by the y screws 70.

When it-is desired t-o test the meter 17, the cover 6 is swung back toexpose the -switch and the small bar 72 is pulled outward (upward inFig. 5to the position there shown). This bar has a notch 73 whichlpermits the arm 41 to swing to the position shown in Fig. 6, whichcarries the knife-blades to their" 46 and 49. .As the blade 36 is placedin full vcontact with contact 48 and the blade 37 is .placed in fullcontact with 49, they are completely disengaged from contacts 45 and 46.

The load is' then transferred from the metering position to the shuntposition without interrupting the l'ovv'of currentfto the consumer. Thetester, by means .of connectors,

. may now attach to contacts. and 46 the terminals of the circuit of atest meter, which circuit also includes an adjustable resistance, andmake the desired tests. The shunt vcircuitfthus created comprises thewire 61, contact 48, wire 5,8, meter winding 67 wire 57,

- contact 45, test meter and resistance contact 46, wire 60, meterwinding 68, wire 459, contact 49 and wire 62, which permits completetesting of the meter 17.

ln order to restrain unauthorized persons yfrom cuttino' out the meter17 while the lbox is closed andsealed, the bar 72 has an end 74 whichextends into the path of the side 9 of the cover While the. notch 73 isin below the arm 41. The bar 472 must 'therefore be,l

pushed inbefore the cover canbeclosed,

. which cannot occur while theparts are inthe position shown in Fig. 6.In order to insure the-blades 36 and 37 being swung to` properfull-contact position between the upper ends of the two sides of thecontacts 45 and 46, the handle 43 may be curved as shown Fig. 10 and asmallbracket 75 attached'ty the side 9 of the cover so that when thecover closed down this bracket will swing the handle 43y .pad-lock orother seal whereby the switch may be. locked in closedv position,- whilea similar plate 77 on ajside 2 with a hole 78 permits the switch to belocked in open posi 1 tion. Thev bracket also prevents the meter beingcut out while the cover is closed down.`

When a service vfuse blows out it is usually l necessary to send aservice man from the nearest 'office of the public service corporationwhich supplies the current to openthe switch box to. replace the fuse.The present construction embodies a series of fuses in a single holder,any one of which can be readily caused tovproperly connect two terminalsof the service circuits. Substitutions of fuse elements can be madewithout opening the boX by merely turning a-selector, but any otherdesired means may be employed to bring other fuse elements intooperative position to replace the blown fuse elements.

The base 30 is provided with grooves 80 in its lower lsurface to`receive the 4,conduct-ors 61 and 62 ,which connect to the fuses 63 and64 by means of bolts 81. Each fuse'consists of an insulating body 82havinga screw threaded l8l. Within this body 82 is a rotatable fusecarrier 8-6 provided with grooves to receive the fuse elements 87 whichconnectV at the lower end of the carrier and contact with a conductor.88 extending up from the b'olt 81.

These fuse elements Contact with a conduc'- tor bar 89 whosejupper endis pressed against carrier' and its multiple'yfuses forms no part of thepresent invention' as it is a well known article now on the market. Itprovides a system of renewable fuse elements between the conductors 62and 66 on one side of the switchand between the conductors 6l and 65 onthe other. 4 I

Each rotatable carrier 86 has a iange 92 which .is heldagainst'theupper. end of the body 82 by a threaded rin 93 whichlispreferably provided with note es 94 engaged by the'resilient finger 95vwhich prevents this' ring from .turnin back and therefore pre.- ventsthe fuse p ug from'unscrewing. A.

stem 96 extends up from the carrier 86 and l through a hole 97 in thecover 6 so that when the cover is closed, thisstem and the carrier forthe fuse elements may'beturned to bring a fresh fuse element intocontact with the conductor 89. I prefer to provide atlange 98 on thestem 96 to prevent the introduction of foreign substances.

The stem 96, or selector, isprovided with an indicating mark so that,the meter reader.

It is desirable that the switch should be I open while the fuses arereplaced. In order to secure this, a plate 99 is attached to a resilienttongue 100 whose end turns down and is secu-redinra socket 102 Yattachedto the end 4 of the box. As shown inV Fig. 5, this plate has notches 103adapted to receive the polygonal portions 104 of the stems 96 andnormallyprevents the stems from turning. But

' when the switch is opened and the arm -11 swung to the dottedylineposition shown in Fig. 6, this arm lifts the plate 99 to the dotted-lineposition and frees the stems which thereupon may be turned to replacethe blown fuse element. The arm L11 may then be swungdown to normalposition to again close the switch and lock the stems.

The broad idea of usinor a multi-fuse device operable from without thecase mayy be embodied in practically number-less constructions by thoseskilled in the art. In fact, all thedetails and proportions of theseveral parts shown in the drawings may be modied without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

By providing a multiple :fuse whose elements are all of the samecapacity, I provide for the renewal of burnt-out fuses by the user whilepreventing him from substituting fuses of different capacity, thusprotecting thelinesl and apparatusv connected to this fuse mechanism.The distance the stems 96 extend above the polygonal portions 104 willbe varied according to the desired-accessibility of this operatingmechanism.

The present application is a .division7 of' my application filed January16, 1924, Serial Number 686,585.

Claims: 1. In an electric switch having an enclosing casing with switchoperating means extending to the outside thereof and multiple fuses withan operating portionalso extending toV lthe outside ofsaid casinv, meansfor preventingtheroperation osaid fuses to renew same when said switchis closed, comprising a ilexible member secured to the inside of saidcasing and provided with means for normally preventing rotation of saidfuse operating means and means on said switch operating means adapted toflex said member when said switch is opened and thereby render saidmember inoperative to prevent said rotation.

2. In an electric switch having an enclosing casing with switchoperating means extending to the outside thereof and multiple fuses withan operating portion also extending to the outside of said casing, meansfor preventing the operation of said fuses to renew same when saidswitch is closed, comprising a polygonal portion on the fuse operatingmeans and. a flexible member secured to the inside of the casing andprovided with a slot adapted normally to lit over said polygonal-portionand means on said switch operating means adapted to flex said memberwhen saidswitch is opened and thereby re- Vmove said slot from saidpolygonal portion.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK.

